Coin-operated vending machine



Mar h 1 19 -Y y 1621244 1 c 5 27 A. A. FAGEN COIN OPERATED YENDING MACHINE Filed may 11. 1922 v 2 sheets-sheet 1 4- /6 /6 /9 2/ l1- Ton/vara 5 2J F/q. 1

n '56 e A l v [N yc/vron- IW y 47 IBR/mami Facia/v March 15, 19274.

A. A; r--AGENV com' OPERATED VENDING MACHINE RN s .of Y 2 9. !mf M, ,n f/VNF n, n qw VM r NH 0M IM a. f. 2 vl m 1m 7 1 4% .w Z m \5 o 4 O Tw. wlw a TIM F E NIH/M HHM Patented Mar. 15, 1927.

ABRAHAM A.. FAGEN, 0F MINNEAYPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

COIN-OPERATED VENDING MACHINE.

Application led May 11,

I t-ion and the accompanying drawings and will be pointed out in the annexed claims.v

In the accompanying drawings, there has been disclosed a structure designed to carry out the objects of the invention, but it is Ato be understood that the invention is not confined to the exact features shown; as various changes maybe made within the scope of the claims which follow.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is arview in front elevation of an improved reservoir showing the manner of feeding the vendible articles to a plurality of vending mechanisms;

lFigure 2 is a view in front elevation of a portion of thev reservoir;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectionalview on the line 2%*3 of Figure 4;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a plan view of the reservoir;

Figure 6 is a view in front elevation of the coin-operated delivery mechanism;

Figure 7 is a plan view of the same;

Figurel 8 is a vertical sectional view on the line 8-8 of Figure 7 and showing the parts in normal position with an inserted com' Figure 9 is a view similar to that of Fig- Vure 8, but showing the completed-delivery operation;

Figure 10 is a vertical sectional view on the line 10-10 of Figure 8; and

Figure 11 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 11-11 of Figure 8.

The general construction of the reservoir may be of any convenient type to lcarry out the particular objects desired to attain. It is here shown as formed of sheet metal in aplurality of pieces shaped to provide a marginal front 12, base 13, back 14, similar .ends 15, and a top l16,.' transparent panel 1922. serial No. 560,215.

1'?, preferably Vof glass may formas shown` the major portion of the front 'of the reserv voir, in order to permit inspection of reserv voir contents and a somewhat decorative sheet'metal border 13 may be added if desired. Preferably the top 16 is formed vby a slide movableV in the slideway formed, as shown in Figure 4, by the opposed marginally bent portions ofthe reservoir. A suitable handle for the `slide is 'aifordedby out-l wardly extending ,the terminal 'slideportion i 19 .and a convenient locking means maybe provided byV an outwardly*projecting poi'- tion on lthe reservoir side 15 which substantially forms a bracket 21andby aperturing the handle portion 19l and the bracket so that the two aperturesfare superimposed when the slide isin its reservoir-closingTposition as shown infFigure 3. A common form of lock 22 may be employedvto, lock the slide in closing position to preventacce'ss to the contained articles 23. Such articles are here shown as substantially spherical objects,

such as the usual balls 'of-candy or'candycovered gum. l ,j f

' In this novel c0nstruction,the rear wall or back 14 of the reservoir is re-entrantly shaped to form the ledge 24 preferably forwardly extending a short distance in spaced relation to the base 13. The function of this ledgey is to maintain the articles ina single layer adjacent the transverse back portion of the base. Thus. jamming of theL articles is prevented adjacent the outlet from theA reservoir which isV made adjacent the back wall .at one orv both ends ofthe reservoir.

An outlet or opening to the chute-is here shown atj each endfof the reservoir atthe back and adjacent the base. As is shown in Figures 3 and 4, the openings are similar and each is circular inform .and slightly larger than the vobject to be delivered.` Preferably, the base 13 is formedwith a semi-` circular depressed portion 25 to provide a short descen-dingportion or incline to facili-f tate article-delivery by gravity to the chute. A short" coupling 'member 26 vis soldered to the marginal portion of each of the reservoir openings so that each may conveniently be connected to a delivery-pipe 27 leadingto a plurality of chutes such aspipes 28 to deliver the articles to the individual coin-operated vending mechanisms at the-lower ends of the pipesv28.

The base 13 of thereservoir is alsopreferrectionv to assure the gravitational presentation-ofthe articles tothe reservoir outlets. The coin-operated vending mechanisms employed are simi-larand therefore but one need be shown anddescribed. Each mechanism comprises a suitable metallic casing,

. the top 3l of which is preferably apertured 'enlarged and is mounted upon the upwardly ate lpreferably soldered to the V.front 36 and 'ends 37 of the casing VThese flanges are Oppsitely disposed along the longitudivspaced flanges 34 integral vwith an elongated I)k nal margins of the plate. kThe plate is provided with any opening 38 in. alinement with the open end of the tube 32. YThese spaced flanges have their upper marginal portions inwardly turned so as to provide aV guiding slideway for the slide 39.

` This slide controls the delivery of articles received within the tube 32. An aperture 4l is Vcut in the slide adjacent one end thereof. This aperture is of the same diameter as that of the tube 32 and the slide is normally adapted to beheld in the position shown in Figures 8 and l1 wherein the extreme end portion of the slide 39 extends across'the opening 38 in the platen 3 5 so that the articles are held in the tube'32.` Gbviously, upon movement of the slide 39 so that this aperture 41 comes into registry with the opening 38, the articles 23 may drop from the tube 32l through the alined aperture and openings to a transversely extending semicylindrical delivery member 42 which is carried by and extends through the front of the casing andis preferably provided with an upstanding lip 43 to prevent the article from dropping therefrom; Means are provided tofprevent the drop of more than one article 2,3 at each operation of the slide 39. Thisis carried out by mounting a detent upon the upperface of the slide 39. The detent kconsists of a plate 44 carried by an integral strip 4.5 Screwed tothe slide 39 as is shown in Figure 10. 'l/'he strip 45 upwardly extends so that the detent plate is held in spaced relation above the slide 39. This slide is adapted tobe extended within theV tube 32 through a slot 46 cut inthe tube.

VThe detent plate 44 is spaced from the slide 39, as Ashown in Figure'8, a distance equal to the outside diameter ofl an article 23. Thus, when the slide and detentl plate are leaved. time. the. Pastries shown. Figure 8 to that shown nFigure 9, theV lower 'article 23 may be delivered while the article 23 next above is Lheld by the detent plate 44. Furthermore, when the slide is retracted,'its marginal portion will extend across the tube opening simultaneously with the removal of the detent plate 44 from the tube. y Y

Thev slide and deent are adapted'to be actuated by means of a manually ac tuable plunger-head through theintermediary of a coin in order that, uponinsertion of a coin, an article may be delivered; while, if the plunger-head be pushed without insertion of a coin, the slide'wil'l not be moved to delivery po'siion. A plunger' 47 slidably projects through one end 37 of the casing and is secured, at its inner end, to a head 48 consisting` of a substantially oblong piece of sheet inetal. This plunger-head is also'slid'- ably mounted in the slideway formed by the plate flanges 34. The head 48, even when the plunger is inwardly pushed, does not move the slide 39to deliveryopening position with relation to the tube l32.v`4 Such spaced relationof the head andguide necessitates the interposition ofthe coin to cause movement of the head to move the slide Vto releasing position. 4The plate 3,5l is provided with a central elongated slot'49 which is adapted to receive a coin. A coin-support is provided in the casing beneath the plate 35 in order initially to support the coinin the plate slot. This coin-support consists of an angled bracket 51 Screwed to the end 37 of the casing. As is shown in Figure 8, this bracket 5l extends only a short distance beneath the plate slot 49' in order'that the inserted coin may be initially supported in the position shown in Figure 8. Preferably the plunger head at its' inner end is provided with a relatively short central notch 5 2 which is adapted to receive an edge of the inserted coin 53. Similarly, the opposed marginal portion of the slide 39 is provided with a relatively deeper notch 54 likewise to receive the substantially opposite portionV of the-coin received within the elongated slot 49 of the plaie 35. Thus, the inserted coin provides a connecting median between'the head 48 andthe slide so that the latter may move to article-releasing position. l For the convenient insertion of a coin, there is provided a coin chute 5 5 extending from the coin slot 56 in the front of the casing downwardly terminating at a pointA 'above the elongated slot 49 in the plate 35. i

Means are provided normally l'and"'yieltl ably to hold the` plunger 47 in outwardly extended position. This is simply effected by means Vof the wire spring havingone end secured to the casing end 37 and having its relatively free end passed through an aperture inthe head 48. This spring normally tends toholdfthe head'48 the position shown in Figure 8,. 'ln orderith'at this vspring also may nieve ltheslcle tot-ubeobstructing position, a finger 58 is riveted A to the head 48 and inwardly extendingis terminally offset to provide a hook adapted to Vengage the adjacent face ot'the strip 45, whereby, upon tensioned retraction ot the plunger-head, the slide will also be moved to delivery preventing position. A stop lug is secured to the chute 55 to engage the strip 45 to limit the retraction movement of the detent plate 44 and slide 39. It is believed preferable to place the plate 35 under some frictional braking means to obviate any tendency to movement upon unauthorized movement ot' the plunger-head. This is easily carried out by means of the relatively narrow lea-t' spring 59 having one end secured'to the outer i'ace of the tube 32, as by solder. This spring is arcuate in form and extends part way about the tube 32 and is so positioned that its inner face is adapted to be enga-ged and slightly outwardly held by the detent plate 44 with the resultant frictional tension which is resistant to movement of the slide and its detent.

In the operation of the device, the reservoir is initially filled with'the articles with the result that the articles drop down the delivery pipes 27 to the chute pipes 28 and thence to the individual tubes 32 of the various coin-operated vending mechanism where the articles are held by the terminal portions of the various slides 39. When a purchaser desires to acquire one of the articles, a coin is inserted in the coin chute 55 and is thereby received within the elongated slot in the plate 35. The coin is supported in such position bythe bracket 5l which preferably has a short marginal flange 6l to prevent the coin from slipping edgewise oti' the bracket as it is preferably delivered in an inclined position. The purchaser then inwardly pushes the plunger 47 so that its head 48 moves the coin with the result that the slide 39 is moved from the position shown in Figure 8 to that shown in Figure 9 with the result that the lo-wermost article 23 drops to the delivery member 42 which, as suggested in Figure l0, is downwardly inclined so that the article comes to astop against the lip 43 outside the casing and is thus presented for easy removal by the purchaser. Upon release of the plunger 47 by the purchaser, the coin 53 is free to drop from the working position shown in Figure 9 to the bottom 62 of this inclosed casing, while the plunger and its head are tensionably removed to outer position ready for further vending operation of the mechanism. Preferably the bottom 62 of the casing is removable as is shown in Figure 9, it being preferably heldin position by means of any suitable lock 63. The

purpose of this locked removable bottom is te facilitate collection of the coins by the owner of the vending machine,

Having thus described my invention what I claim asnew andv desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: f

' 1. A device of theclass described comprising a casing having side and end walls, and a. bottoni'slanting from one side wall to the other, a delivery opening in one end'wall below the lowermost porti n of the bottom, and a projection extending laterally from the side wall, overlying and spaced from the bottom a distance substantially equal to the diameter' of the spherical bodies to be delivered, whereby the bodies are deliverd laterally to the channel thus formed to form a row of bodies for delivery through the opening in direction at right angles to their reception.

2. A device of the class described for permitting and obtaining a. predetermined row formation ol' substantially spherical bodies, for successive guided deliveryy from opposite ends of the row into corresponding discharge chutes, con'iprising a substantiallyV rectangular sheet metal structure having a bottom slanting downwardly from one side to the other, and'delivery openings in its end walls partly below the level of the lowermost por- Y tion of the bottom, that wall adjacent the lowermost portion of the bottom being bent inwardly over the bottom and spaced there,- from a distance substantially less than twice the diameter of a lspherical body to be delivered, and forming a passage for lateral rece ation of the lowermost elements of a v pile of sphericalbodies, to form a straight row of such bodies abutting the side wall, and -alined in direction of and ,between said discharge openings.

A device 'of the class described as a central reservoir forV successively delivering spherical bodies in opposite direct-ions which comprises a sheet metal structure having side and end walls and a bottom slanting downwardly from one side wall to the other and. having alined delivery openings in kopposite end walls partly below the lowermost portion of the bottom, that said wall adjacent said openings being bent inwardly over' the bottom and spaced therefrom to receive only those bodies Vresting upon the bottom and forming a passage for the lateral reception. of the lowerrnost bodies of a pile-of suchl bodies to form a row of bodies alined with the delivery openings, said-bottom having grooves leading downward to the deliveryV openings, and said side wall being rebent outwardly and upwardly to form an incline for directing some of the overlying bodies toward the elongated lateral intake of the channel.

4. A device of the class described, coni-Y prising a casing having side and end walls and a slanting bottom and alined delivery loo openings in opposite end walls below vthe lowermost portion of the bottoni, said bot- A tom adjacent the. openings having grinding Vchannels leading downward thereto, a projeetion extending from the side Wall over the guide kohaiiinels and longitudinally between and above the openings and spaced to receive only thosey spherical bodies resting upon the rbetteln `and adapted to obtain a linear formation of the bodies against the side Wall at the lovvermost portion of theV bottom for successive delivery through lthe 10 openings in opposite directions.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 5th day of May, 1922.

ABRAHAM A. FAGEN. 

